


City of Love

by ashxtodd



Category: Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale (2010), Haikyuu!!
Genre: (ONLY AT THE BEGINNING), Actor Taichi, Barbie Movies, Falling In Love, Fashion Designer Goshiki, Fluff and Humor, Goshiki's lowkey french, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Semishira, Light Angst, M/M, Model Taichi, Mutual Pining, Taichi looks good in everything agenda, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28839951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashxtodd/pseuds/ashxtodd
Summary: “Nice to meet you, Taichi.” Tsutomu says in his heavy French accent that sends shivers down Taichi's spine, while Tsutomu refrains from looking Taichi in the eye -oh lord, this guy is going to be the death of him, he can feel it already.“You too, Tsutomu,” he replies, now flushing at his own thoughts.Christ. He’s become a teenager all over again.In which Taichi meets Tsutomu after he thinks his world has ended and ends up falling in love with him in just a week.(Alternatively; Barbie A Fashion Fairytale but KawaGoshi.
Relationships: Goshiki Tsutomu/Kawanishi Taichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	City of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hi this is lowkey just Barbie a fashion fairytale but KawaGoshi edition. You don't have to watch the movie to understand this though (but watching it will be advised).

  
  
  
  


Classical music plays as Taichi watches the camera pan from the window out towards Hayato, who smiles in his direction - incredibly fake, laced with mock kindness, as he takes a few steps forward, his green suit that he’s wearing fitting his well-built form well, all the while Taichi repeats his own lines in his head like a mantra. 

“And this is the bedroom I’ve prepared especially for you,” he says, doing the fake accent, gesturing towards the bed beside Taichi, his tone plotting and overall secretive. 

Taichi does the most majestic yawn he can manage, a soft smile finding its way on his lips, as he takes a few steps forward. “Thank you for letting me have a place to rest tonight, you’re very kind,” he murmurs softly, enough for the mic to pick it up, as he pretends to be completely oblivious to what’s about to happen in the story. When he had first read the script he found it utterly ridiculous - yes it’s a class, but that didn’t stop him from hating his incredibly innocent character. A tragedy. “My!” He gasps dramatically, a hand finding its way on his mouth, as his eyes travel to the actual monstrosity of a bed. “What an enormous bed!” He isn’t sure if the innuendo is intended or not, either way, it takes a lot of self control and professionalism for him not to add a sex joke at the end of the line. 

“Why yes darling!” Hayato exclaims, walking with Taichi to the bed, with the smirk present on his lips, there’s no doubt he didn’t get the innuendo either. Still, he does a great job at pretending it’s all part of acting. “I would do no less for a prince!” He says, chuckling. 

Taichi smiles at him gratefully, as he walks over to the ladder that will lead him up the at least hundred mattress bed. From behind him he can somewhat make out Hayato saying his line, but he’s too busy getting up the ladder and not falling to even check if he did a good job or not - he most probably did considering he does have more experience than Taichi himself.

When Taichi finally gets on top of the bed, he settles him down elegantly, before faking another dramatic yawn, as he falls back on the mattress, his eyes fluttering shut, as he waits for Hayato to finish the scene. 

Suddenly he hears the sudden yell of, “ _ bring out the peas! _ ” 

Ah yes. This had been his favorite part when he read the script, so he’s excited at how it’s going to play out when they’re actually finally filming it. The lights of the study instantly get somber and dark, the music changes into something more dramatic, the mood of the entire scene changing within seconds. 

“ _ As you try to fall asleep, deep into your room we’ll creep, _ ” at which Taichi scrunches his nose. Huh? He doesn’t remember  _ that  _ in the script. He opens his eyes, sitting back up, looking around puzzled. What the fuck is happening? “ _ Eating brains is what we’ll do, with boys with prince claims untrue, _ ” Taichi stares down the bed, watching the peas- no,  _ zombie peas  _ (what the actual fuck?) come in with fog rolling out. Hayato looks at him with the same amount of confusion as he looks at him. “ _ Zombie peas have just one need, we can’t be stopped until we feed, _ ” Hayato looks in the opposite direction, his fingers on his temples, as he groans audibly. Taichi can’t say he blames him considering he’s two minutes away from calling this whole thing off. “ _ Though we do not move like lightning, bet you find us pretty frightening _ .”

Suddenly the music turns from daunting to upbeat, as if they were filming a comedy instead. Taichi looks at the camera crew, utterly appalled, meanwhile their direction seems utterly impressed by this  _ circus _ .  _ “We are stylin’ zombie peas, we like to tap, we aim to please, we will sing until we squeeze, we are stylin’ zombie peas - peas out. _ ” 

The peas start surrounding the bed and Taichi grits his teeth. He was not informed about any of this. And when the zombie fucking peas start climbing the ladder to his bed, it starts shaking the bed along with the ladder and Taichi isn’t half as scared to fall as he would be under normal circumstances - because by now he’s decided that these are definitely fucking not normal - instead he’s too busy worrying about his tongue, because he knows for a fact that if he doesn’t, he’ll end up saying something he’ll regret. 

It’s when the peas start reaching over to his face with the fake green hands, that Taichi just about has had it. “Time out!” He announces with finality, his tone not even displaying half the annoyance he feels right now. 

“Yes, thank you,  _ please  _ stop the peas,” Hayato says, though he just sounds more tired than irked. Taichi doesn’t blame him.

“ _ CUT! _ ” The director shouts. Taichi takes a deep sigh of relief. Finally. Meanwhile the pea who was trying to get his hands on him falls off the bed and not to say that he’s a terrible person, but he does not feel bad in the slightest. “Is there a reason you’re interrupting my scene?” Tatsuo - the direction asks, sounding absolutely irritated, which Taichi doesn’t get, because he’s the one who just got- what ever the fuck just happened.

Taichi blinks down at him from the bed. Isn’t it obvious - or well maybe not. Tatsuo is a tough  di re c tor to wor k with after all, so with that he takes another deep breath, choosing his words wisely. “Um...I just wanted to know if I missed something in the script...about the uh zombie peas,” he says hesitantly, not knowing how to convey that this change or whatever is horrendous. He doesn’t want to come off as a diva for this, lord help him. 

Tatsuo blinks at him for a second, before looking at him unimpressed. “Of course not, they’re brand new, I wanted to add a little pizzazz,” Tatsuo abruptly stops for a moment, his mouth wide with amusement as he looks at the guy in the pea outfit beside him, “or can I say...peazazz!” He says bursting into laughter, high-fiving the pea guy. From beside him, Taichi can see Hayato rolling his eyes - and as much as he wants to do the same, he’s a nice guy. Tatsuo looks at his co-director, “that was a good one, tweet that and put it on my blog.” 

_ Control yourself Taichi _ , he tells himself as he climbs down the ladder to tell this Tatsuo guy his place. Why the hell would he ruin such a classic genderbent remake of princess and the pea by adding  _ zombies _ ? Who the hell does that. “Real funny, Tatsuo-kun, haha but um...I just wanted to say that uhh it doesn’t make sense? Like in the story? How does zombie peas contribute to any of the plot?” He asks, as he sets foot to the ground, taking a few steps forward. 

“Who cares?” Tatsuo says, narrowing his eyes at him and all Taichi can do is gape. He’s ready to punch this guy. “Zombies are hip, if you wanna make something cool add zombies, so the zombies  _ stay. _ ” He says, as if it were as simple as that. “ _ FROM THE TOP EVERYONE, THIS’LL BE THE ONE, I CAN FEEL IT!” _ He shouts into his megaphone. 

Where the hell has Taichi ended up?

He presses his lips together, knowing damn well that whatever is going to come out next is going to make him sound like some shonen protagonist who saves the world using the power of friendship - yes he’s aware, but that doesn’t stop him anyway, he’s far too shameless by now. “Uh...wait just one second please,” he says, as Tatsuo turns his back on him. 

“What?” He asks annoyed, looking back at Taichi. 

“Tatsuo-kun,” he starts, forcing a smile on his face as he speaks. “You’re vision is s-so  _ unique _ ...and- I...and um..well it’s  _ unique _ ...but to me the princess and the pea - or well as we’re making it, the prince and the pea - it’s so great because it’s simple, the prince stays true to himself even when times are hard and people doubt him...if the scene gets too, well um,”

“ _ Unique? _ ” Tatsuo prompts. 

“Exactly!” Taichi exclaims, taking a breather. Maybe this guy isn’t that difficult after all, he’s worked with tough people before, besides it seems like he’s getting it - thank god. “I just think that with everything going on...this really cool story might get a little...lost?” He tries, not knowing how to explain it further, though he thinks he’s done a pretty amazing job nonetheless. “What do you think?”

Tatsuo stares at him. “You know that flapping thing you were doing there with your mouth?” 

Taichi blinks. “You mean expressing my opinion?” 

“That! No more of that.”

Taichi’s face falls. The hell is that supposed to mean? 

“ _ FROM THE TOP PEOPLE! _ ” 

Taichi cannot even process properly what the guy just said to him. He’s never been spoken to with such disrespect, what the hell. 

“I for one think Taichi-kun is absolutely right,” Hayato comments, putting a hand on Taichi’s shoulder. At least someone’s on his side, he thinks. “Makes me wish he were the one directing this film.” 

At that Tatsuo turns on his heel to look at Taichi, glaring at him with such intensity that for a moment the ginger is taken aback. “Is that what you’re doing, Kawanishi-kun? Trying to steal  _ my  _ job?”

Oh no. 

Of course the dumbass would think of something so idiotic. 

“No of course not, I just thought we could work it out and talk about this project together like friends-” 

“Ah right,” Tatsuo says, though not in the slightest sounding understanding. “Oh I think I’ve got the answer, get off the set.” 

Taichi tries to calm himself down. Who does this guy think he is? “Oh right, we can go outside and talk-” 

“Mm, not us get off the set,  _ you  _ get off the set,  _ you’re fired! _ ” 

Taichi’s stomach and face instantly drop and it takes him a moment to realize what just happened. All he can feel is ringing in his ears and disbelief in his veins. Never in his life has Taichi Kawanishi been fired before.  _ Never _ . 

“What the fuck.”

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


Taichi sighs as he puts the box of his belongings on the table in his trailer, sitting down on the couch, while Eita and Kenjirou loom over him, both looking at him worried. He owes these two a lot. Especially after he got fired around twenty minutes ago when he was ready to throw a punch or two - if it weren’t for Eita and Kenjirou dragging him out, he thinks he might’ve lost even more of his dignity and pride. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t have said anything about the zombie peas,” Eita mutters, crossing his arms, as he sits down beside Taichi, all the while Sequin, his white poodle, climbs on top of his lap. Taichi smiles at her, though it doesn’t meet his eyes. 

“Hello? Artistic integrity?” Kenjirou says harshly, narrowing his eyes at Eita, who simply just shrugs. 

“I’m just saying that that guy is known for being difficult, talking against him landed Taichi here, so like-” 

Kenjirou scoffs. “So supportive, Eita.” 

“Hey-” 

“Shut up,” Taichi mumbles, as his phone buzzes on the table. He reaches over to pick it up and it up. A genuine smile dances on his lips when he sees who the call is from - his sister. “Hey Emiko-chan, what’s up?” He asks, feeling slightly better about everything happening. 

“ _T_ _ aichi-chan! I heard you got fired! _ ” Emiko says, her voice worried.

Taichi’s heart drops. “How do you know?” He asks, exhaling shakily.

“ _ It’s all over the internet, go take a look yourself! _ ” 

As if on reflex, Taichi instantly gets up, walking over to his already open laptop. “Thanks for telling me Emiko, I’ll call you later, bye.” He says hanging up the phone, not caring about her response, too busy panicking over what the hell is happening on the internet. 

Taichi starts typing his full name on the google search bar, right as Kenjirou asks, “what’s up?” 

He clicks the first article he sees and he can’t help but sigh miserably. It’s from the famous blog called “The Movie Gossip” and it has all the details of Taichi getting fired - he doesn’t even have to read it, just skimming over it, he can tell - and the comments, dear lord, do people really think of him as a diva? “Nobu spilled to the gossip sights, oh my god,” he groans, half in annoyance, other because he really doesn’t know what to do now. His reputation is absolutely destroyed and he didn’t even do anything. “Look, it’s all over the net,” he tells Kenjirou and Eita, who look at him worried.

“Oh no,”

“You really shouldn’t believe everything on the internet,” Eita says, probably doing his best to be reassuring. “Everyone knows it’s controlled by secret underground mind control experts!” 

Kenjirou rolls his eyes, letting out a groan. “You’re spending way too much time with Tendou-san.” He tells him, the annoyance not left out of his voice. 

Eita raises an amused eyebrow. “Are you jealous, Kenjirou?” 

“Hardly,” 

Taichi ignores their little squaffle, instead wrapped up in his own dilemma. He lets out a sigh. “The comments,” he mumbles, a lump forming in his throat as he reads through them. “‘So never liked him’ ‘awesome news’ ‘always knew he’d go diva’...is this how people see me?” He asks miserably. His entire career has been burnt down to ashes. Literally.

Sequin, as if knowing how upset he is, instantly closes his laptop, while Kenjirou pats him on the shoulder. 

“No, it’s just haters being hateful, ignore it,” Kenjirou says. 

“How?” He asks, propping his elbows on his knees as he covers his face with his hands. “I don’t know...if people don’t wanna see me act...maybe I shouldn’t be acting,”

Eita gasps. “Of course you should!” 

“Exactly!” Kenjirou exclaims. “Let people talk, it doesn’t matter.”

Taichi turns his head up from his hands, frowning at his two friends. “But it does,” he argues. “L-Like...Kenjirou, what if people said they didn’t want you as their doctor- or Eita, what if people booed every time you walked on stage? Would you still perform?” 

Eita bites his bottom lip, not meeting Taichi’s eyes, while Kenjirou frowns. “See,”

“Okay fine, but still-” 

Taichi’s phone ringing cuts off Kenjirou from trying to convince Taichi further. Instead, Taichi reaches forward to grab his phone again and he’s pleasantly surprised to find it from his boyfriend, Shin. “Shin, I am so glad you called,” he sighs, as he picks up the phone - but then his chest suddenly hurts as soon as those words escape his mouth. Is he really happy? When was the last time he and Shin had had a normal civil conversation? When was the last time they’d actually spoken like adults?

“ _ We need to talk _ ,” is all Shin says from the other side. 

“Oh my gosh, yeah- holy shit it’s been so rough all of a sudden-”

“ _ Things aren’t right between us and you know it, they haven’t been for a while, _ ” 

Taichi’s heart stops. No, no, no, no. They could pretend everything was okay. Just like they’ve been doing for the past year. Everything is alright. He can’t let go now, not after so long. “What-” he manages to choke out instead, a lump forming in his throat as he shuts his eyes _. Not now, please _ . 

He hears Shin take a deep breath from the otherside. “ _ I’m really sorry Taichi...you know I am but...I’m breaking up with you.” _

“Shin-”

_ “If you’re smart, you’ll forget I exist _ .” 

With that, the call ends and Taichi throws his phone behind him harshly, not even caring if it breaks at this point, as he cups his face in his hands. “Shin just broke up with me.” He mumbles. Maybe he should be crying by this point. Maybe he should be screaming, shouting, asking for an explanation. But he won’t because he can’t. He knows why Shin did it. Things between them haven’t been good. If anything Taichi fell out of love months ago, but they grew too used to each other to the point where being apart hurt. 

But right now it doesn’t hurt. He isn’t sad. It would’ve hurt months ago, but now all he feels is numb. Nothing else. 

“What the fuck,” Eita mutters.

“Just now? On the phone? What kind of guy does that?!” Kenjirou yells. 

“I guess a guy with no real emotions,” Taichi says, running a hand through his hair. 

Eita sighs, walking over to him and sitting down beside him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Kenjirou and I are here for you, Taichi,” he tells him. “Anything you need, just tell us.” 

Taichi nods, smiling warmly at Eita. “I know...but I’m fine...things between him and I were long over months ago, so it’s okay.”

“Still gives him no right to break things off over the phone.” Kenjirou scoffs. 

“But-”

“That’s it,” Kenjirou says, grabbing Taichi’s discarded phone from the couch and putting in his password. 

“What are you doing?” Taichi asks standing up, going after Kenjirou. 

“Blocking him, from your cell, your email, your twitter, your everything,” Kenjirou announces mildly, his attention on Taichi’s phone. “You do not break up with someone that way no matter how rough things are between you two, when I’m done, Eita and I are going to get you far away from this set, where you can feel good about yourself.” Kenjirou says, beaming at Taichi.

Taichi crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow.

“Ooo like Hawaii?” Eita asks excitedly, as he walks back to Kenjirou’s side, wrapping his hand around his waist.

“Uhh...I was thinking more like the ice cream parlor downtown or something,” Kenjirou admits sheepishly. 

“No Eita’s right,” Taichi muses, licking his lips. “If I’m going to go away, I should go  _ away _ ,” he says, walking over to the vanity in his trailer with the gigantic vase of flowers sitting on top of. “Somewhere far away...like my aunt Machi’s!” 

“Is that a store in Hawaii?” Eita asks.

“No, my aunt Machi, she’s sent me these flowers,” Taichi says chuckling, as he spins around, grabbing one of the flowers to show to his friends. “She’s a designer in Paris with her own fashion house,” he explains. “Ah! I loved visiting it when I was little! Lots of people and energy and fashion and fabric and suits and dresses and aunt Machi right in the middle of it all,” he gushes, twirling around like some schoolgirl. “Keeping it all together, ah! I wanted to be strong like her, when I grew up,”

He turns around again, a big smile stretching his face. When was the last time he was this happy? He doesn’t remember. “I’m going to go see aunt Machi,” he declares. 

“Sounds fun! When?” Eita asks excitedly and even Kenjirou smiles.

“Now,” he says pleasantly. “I can spend the last week of summer vacation with her,” he shrugs. “I don’t need Shin, I just need to book a flight.” 

Kenjirou gives him back his phone, right as he turns around to look at Sequin. “Wanna go to Paris, girl?” 

Sequin barks in response, wiggling her tail. 

Taichi laughs. 

Maybe his life isn’t ruined after all. 

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Taichi realizes that maybe he’s one of the luckiest people ever to be able to have his day go from being absolutely disastrous to getting on a plane to Paris - on first class he might add, to go on vacation to his aunt’s place. He definitely did not see this turn of events. 

The plane ride is peaceful and calming, making him finally reflect back on the day’s incidents. In the end he comes with a verdict; it was not the end of the world, he’s doing amazing. He’ll get more opportunities to act later, he’ll get more opportunities to date. Nothing is over. That calms him down, even if by just a bit. 

In the plane he and Sequin mostly relax and goof around and it’s nice. He hasn’t had some me-time for him in way too long, his schedule always being too packed for him to do anything. It’s always been frustrating. 

When he’s scrolling through his photos to show Sequin something, he comes across a picture of him and Shin. His smile drops to a frown, as he bites his bottom lip. He doesn’t miss him. That much is clear. But it’s the fear that he might never love someone as much as he loved Shin at one point that scares him.

He tries not to dwell on it too much, especially considering he’s here for himself not to think about relationships. But that seems to be a challenge considering they are in the city of love. It’s either that the world has some sort of vendetta against him, or he truly is hopeless in the matter of love.

Still, when he finally lands in Paris, the feeling he gets is unmistakably of relief. He’s away. It’s almost like a fresh start. He takes a deep breath, a smile on his lips, his eyes lidded, as he takes confident steps out of the airport. 

He gets himself a cab, driving around the city, showing Sequin all the places that he remembers seeing all the times he used to come here as a kid. The atmosphere here is completely different from his home. It’s calming and more relaxed as compared to there. There’s no pressure. He can take a break. 

But when he and Sequin are walking and droplets of water start dropping from the sky, when Taichi takes out his umbrella, he starts noticing all the couples huddled together that he can’t help but frown. He doesn’t need someone to love, but he still wants someone nonetheless, even if he doesn’t consider himself lonely.

_ Love _ .

What a stupid social construct.

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Taichi and Sequin walk down the familiar pathway that Taichi remembers coming years before, everything suddenly piecing together. He can’t believe how long it's been since he last came here. As he’s walking, his eyes suddenly travel to green tinted windows, inside are a bunch of mannequins with different clothes on them - he guesses this too is a fashion house, although he doesn’t remember one being here the last time he was here - then again it’s been  _ years _ . 

“Monsieur, bonjour,” says a woman, which makes Taichi look up from the window, to two middle-aged women, looking at him, pleasantly smiling. 

“Oh um, bonjour,” he replies back, an awkward smile on his lips, unsure on what to do.

“Forgive me for the interruption but you have a fashion sense which is utterly amazing,” says the first woman, looking at him up and down, not in a suggestive manner, but rather more approvingly.

Taichi looks down at his own clothes - which he wouldn’t consider to be the epitome of fashion considering he’s wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a black tee and his boots (on top of which his leather jacket). Still, the compliment is greatly appreciated. “Oh, how very nice, thank you,” he says politely.

“I’m Jacqueline,” says the same woman, bringing her hand forward, which Taichi shakes, before he takes it back. “From Jacqueline Fashion house,  _ voici _ .” 

Taichi blinks, before realization dawns on him. Oh. “You’re a designer, so you must know Machi,” he says, his voice slightly hoping, because by this point he’s certain he’s lost his way in this city and some help would be greatly appreciated.

“Machi?” Jacqueline asks, before his face turns amused and she bursts into a fit of laughter. The redhead beside her copies the notion, as they laugh hysterically and Taichi wonders if he missed an inside joke or something. Suddenly stop laughing, their expressions turning neutral, as they stare back at Taichi. “What’s so funny?” He asks, narrowing his eyes at them.

“Jacqueline ruined Machi,” the redhead says, smirking. 

_ What the fuck?  _ Taichi thinks.  _ What is she even saying? _

“Delphine you flatter me,” Jacqueline says, before turning back at Taichi. “But it’s true, she couldn’t keep up with my genius - go see for yourself.” She says, pointedly looking at the building in front of her. 

Taichi’s gaze follows hers, and suddenly relief washes over him, as he reads “MACHI” written in bold letters on the front. 

“I know you’ll be back,” Jacqueline says smugly. “Come Delphine we have work to do.”

Taichi ignores those two women, instead already on his way to cross the road, his suitcase in his hand, Sequin by his side. Surely those two have no idea what they’re talking about - like are they actually dumb? His aunt would never quit fashion designing, she’s a genius after all. Besides Jacqueline and Delphine seem way too cocky for their own good, there’s no way their designs outsold his aunts - he highly doubts it, if he’s being honest. 

When he opens the door to the fashion house, the inside seems completely blank and empty, boxes all over and clothes nowhere to be seen - still, Taichi had hope. Surely aunt Machi was revamping everything and coming up with a new fashion line - that was probably it. 

“Aunt Machi!” he yells, his voice slightly echoing in the building. Huh. “Aunt Machi!” He tries again. “Hello?”

Suddenly the sound of rollerskates being used on the ground is heard and before he even knows it, he comes face to face with his aunt. “Taichi!” 

“Aunt Machi!” He exclaims, a warm smile coming on his face, as he watches his aunt skate into the room from the other room, twirling and spinning as if she were a pro.

“Look at me go! I’m on a roll!” She says, skating around him.

With all his attention on his aunt, he doesn’t notice that Sequin is chasing a cat around until they’re both playing cat and mouse around aunt Machi, making her panic and her being thrown off balance. Worry washes over Taichi, but he can’t move his feet either, too scared that if he intervenes aunt Machi might get hurt. 

“Uh oh,”

“Woah-- shit-”

Sequin starts chasing the cat up the stairs, where someone is walking down from, with a bunch of boxes covering their view, all the while aunt Machi losing her balance is all too close to crashing into said person coming down the stairs. 

Panicking Taichi starts running towards them too, in hopes to save them both, only to have them all crash into each other and fall down on the floor, confetti and feathers popping out of the boxes, showering itself on top of them. 

Aunt Machi instantly bursts into laughter - which he can only describe as contagious as he finds himself laughing along, unlike himself and so does the other guy who fell. “Oh I knew we’d have fun with you here,” aunt Machi says, as Taichi gets up, helping her up. Taichi can’t help but beam at her. Her attention then quickly switches to the other guy. “Tsutomu, this is my nephew, Taichi, I told you about him, never a dull moment with him around.” Taichi bites his bottom lip, an embarrassed smile on his lips. “Taichi, this is Tsutomu Goshiki, whom we all call Tsutomu,” she then finally introduces. 

Now Taichi can finally look at whoever this guy is - the first word that comes to his mind while looking at him is;  _ adorable _ . His black hair and bangs suiting his face quite well, along with those dark blue eyes, that make Taichi want to stare at them forever - not to mention that cute smile and blushing dusting his cheeks. Jesus Christ this dude is extremely cute and not to say that Taichi is in the presence of an angel, but he thinks he might be. 

“Nice to meet you, Taichi.” Tsutomu says in his heavy French accent that sends shivers down Taichi's spine, while Tsutomu refrains from looking Taichi in the eye - _oh lord,_ this guy is going to be the death of him, he can feel it already.

“You too, Tsutomu,” he replies, now flushing at his own thoughts. Christ. He’s become a teenager all over again. He averts his gaze down to his aunt’s skates instead, hoping to clear some of his intrusive thoughts. “So uh, what’s with the riffing pink power pink roller skates?” He asks, chuckling. 

“Oh, these?” His aunt asks, bringing his feet up in the air. “Oh they’re new contenders for my new hobby!”

Taichi pretends to understand what the fuck that means and nods. Aunt Machi looks at him and smiles. “Oh I didn’t wanna tell you on the phone, but I’m closing up shop and moving to the country!” She exclaims, sliding towards her office.

Taichi’s smile drops. _Oh_. “So Jacqueline was right.” 

“Jacqueline?!” Tsutomu gasps. “Jacqueline has never been right, she-she...she cheats! She copies real designers, like Machi!” He says, pointing at his aunt. Taichi’s eyes widen. He had no idea, what the fuck. “Then she spends all her time and money prompting herself, the press loves her and they don’t pay any attention to anybody else,” he scoffs. 

Taichi internally thinks about how Tsutomu just looked like an angry kitten saying all that. Why is he so cute, what the hell.

“Oh they pay attention to me,” aunt Machi intervenes, her hands on a mannequin on which rests a beautiful black suit with a silk pink tie. “It’s just the things they say are horrible,” she explains, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. ”’Dated’, ‘washed up’, ‘irrelevant’,”

Taichi is suddenly reminded of all the hate comments he read of himself and he feels empathetic towards his aunt. Even though she might not show it, he knows the comments get to her too. 

“No!” Taichi exclaims. “I’ve seen your latest lines, they’re fantastic,” he says, taking a few steps forward.

“Not according to my audience,” aunt Machi says gravely. “So I ask you, if your audience doesn’t like what you do, does it make sense to keep doing it?” 

Oh, that hits way too close to home. Taichi can’t even try to be reassuring or say something against that, because he said the same thing the other day and he still firmly believes that he should quit acting. Shit, he didn’t expect himself to be attacked this way in Paris - though he guesses that’s what he gets for trying to run from his problems. 

“No,” that’s the only answer Taichi can muster up. It hits way too close to home. He shakes his head. “No it doesn’t.”

Aunt Machi smiles at him, as she gets in between the gap between him and Tsutomu. “See Tsutomu, I told you Taichi would have no problem understanding,” she says, as Tsutomu presses his lips in a line and nods. Aunt Machi’s head turns to Taichi and she smiles. “We’re alike you and I, always have been.” 

_ Oh you have no idea _ , Taichi wants to say. 

He doesn’t. 

Instead he looks away.

“How about I help you pack?” He asks instead. 

Aunt Machi smiles at him. “You and Tsutomu can pack up the studio and I’ll pack up here and we’ll have no problem getting out of here by Friday,” she says. “So how about you two give me a push into my office?” 

Oh and a push they give. 

Taichi’s pretty sure she fell into something, but he’s not sure. 

Either way, he doesn’t know if this is his aunt’s attempts at playing matchmaker or not, but still he thinks he’ll try his luck with Tsutomu - especially when he blushes every time their arms brush together as they walk up. 

_Oh boy. It’s going to be an interesting week_ , Taichi thinks. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I have like a shit ton of KawaGoshi fics planned that I haven't written, but I wrote this (copied off of Barbie but shh) just because I have exams going on right now and I want to at least put out something. Also can we agree that Taichi could wear all of Harry Styles' wardrobe and look really fucking good.
> 
> I thought about this during my religion exam. Also is this the first multichapter kawagoshi fic omg
> 
> Also I'm too sleep deprived to care how bad this is bye
> 
> Follow me on twitter lmao @ashxtodd


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